Hermione's Evening
by Shy Soceress
Summary: Hermione goes to the pub for her usual drink one winter evening. She meets someone who would change her life in ways unimaginable.
1. Default Chapter

Hermione's Evening Chapter 01  
  
It started out as almost every evening had done in the past ten years for Hermione Granger: sitting in the back corner by herself in The Leaky Cauldron, nursing her whiskey and rye, and reading the ever-updated "A History of Hogwarts." This was her routine every night, except when she was visiting her Muggle parents or out of town on Auror business.  
  
She arrived at the pub at her usual time of 7pm, and promptly went over to the bar. As always, Tom muttered, "Yer usual, Hermione?"  
  
"Of course, Tom."  
  
He slid the Scotch whiskey and rye across the bar to her. "I'll put it on yer tab, shall I?"  
  
"Of course," and her usual sad smile flashed and disappeared. She carried the drink in one hand with her book bag slung over the other shoulder, and headed for the empty small table in the corner. She sat in the seat with her back to the wall so she could face the entire room and observe the comings and goings of the pub's patrons. It was a result of her Auror training never to sit with one's back to an entire room.  
  
She settled in for the duration and began to read the familiar book, savouring its pages and the changes that magically appeared as needed. As she paused to take in a new passage or to think, she would sip her drink, which refilled automatically as needed.  
  
Hermione was so engrossed that she lost all track of time. A clearing of the throat failed to arouse her from her reading until it was repeated, and she looked up, annoyed. "Tom, I don't need a refill." Her voice died away.  
  
Standing in front of her was the very person she had not seen for ten years, since that fateful day in court. Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Granger, don't you ever read anything else? I thought you'd finished that at Hogwarts." He sneered in that oh-so-familiar voice.  
  
She stared at him, her mouth agape.  
  
"You might want to close your mouth, Granger." A long forefinger was under her chin, pushing her jaw shut. "D'you mind?" He indicated the empty seat across from her. She started to say, "yes," but he never gave her a chance to voice her protest; he sank gracefully onto the old bench, and shrugged off his cloak. Black velvet, her mind registered. Some things never change.  
  
"What are you having? My shout."  
  
"Er, a whisky and rye," she muttered. "But you needn't bother, honestly. I've got a tab here."  
  
"No, Granger. I'll put it on my tab this time." He gestured to Tom, who nodded and brought over Draco his drink.  
  
They sat and looked at each other over their drinks. Hermione knew what he saw. A young woman of thirty-two, who had seen too much evil for it not to show in her eyes. The same tired brown eyes she saw every morning in the mirror, in a thin face surrounded by short, spikey dark chestnut-coloured hair. Draco himself hadn't escaped the ravages of the war, either. His face was still lean and handsome, but marred by a scar across his cheek. He had obviously been in the sun; for he had a tan he had never shown before that last battle, before he'd left England. However his eyes were still the piercing grey she remembered so well, and his white-blonde hair was still the almost-white shade she recalled. Only cut shorter.  
  
"So, Granger," he smirked. "What d'you think? Still the stud?"  
  
She laughed shortly. "You don't change, do you Malfoy? Still the conceited ass, I see."  
  
"And you're still the know-it-all, I see," he returned somewhat amicably.  
  
There was a pause as the two former enemies scrutinised each other across the small table, neither giving way.  
  
"So." Draco thumped his glass down. "Seems I owe you a belated thanks. Granger."  
  
Hermione wrinkled her brow, puzzled. "What for, Malfoy?"  
  
"Ten years ago.when you testified on my behalf, in Wizarding Court."  
  
"Oh that, that was nothing," she dismissed.  
  
"Still, you got me off a murder charge."  
  
"Still, Malfoy, just doing my duty."  
  
"Granger, you could have refused, you know. As I recall, you'd just lost your fiance, and one of your best friends. You could have refused to testify and no one would have blamed you."  
  
"But you had lost your wife and killed your father in defence, Malfoy. Harry had been killed by your father in retaliation for killing Valdemort. Your father had killed Ginny, too. Your wife. There was no way I was going to let you go to Azkaban for murder when it was in self-defence, Malfoy. It was my duty."  
  
"And you always do your duty, don't you?"  
  
"Yes," she muttered.  
  
"Even when it's killing you?"  
  
"Yes, even then." She stared at him; her eyes empty of emotion. Gods, she was a walking automation. What had happened to her spirit?  
  
"Granger." he paused.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh never mind. It was a stupid question anyway."  
  
"It couldn't be any dumber than what you used throw at me at Hogwarts."  
  
"Oh it is, believe me. Maybe I'll ask you later."  
  
"All right." She incuriously shrugged. "So what are you doing here, Malfoy?"  
  
"I'm back in England on business. Ever hear of the Woollongong Warriors?"  
  
"The Aussie Quidditch team? Who hasn't? Even I've heard of them."  
  
"Well, I own them. Part of them, anyway. I'm one of a group of owners. And I'm here in England, on a scouting trip, looking for a seeker. Ours quit suddenly last month, leaving us in the lurch."  
  
"Don't you have scouts to do that sort of work for you?"  
  
"Well, normally, we do, but I'm also here to settle my mother's affairs and so decided to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."  
  
"Since when do you use Muggle expressions?"  
  
He looked innocent. "Who said that was a Muggle expression? How do you know a wizard didn't say it first?"  
  
She had to laugh at that. And then sobered. "Sorry about your mum, Malfoy."  
  
"Thank you. She'd never been well since my dad died, you know. Just racketing about in that mansion with no one but house elves to keep her company. I tried to get her to join me down in Oz, but she didn't want to leave, God knows why."  
  
"I suppose she didn't want to make a change. Some people can't, you know. She must have really loved your father." The last almost made her choke to say it. Lucius Malfoy had not been a loveable man, to say the least, in her opinion.  
  
Draco's expression hardened. "Like hell she did. He would beat her and curse her with the Cruatius Curse, you know. She'd come to my room at night in intense pain, crying her eyes out."  
  
"Oh Draco." Hermione really didn't quite know what to say.  
  
"It's all right, Hermione." He replied sadly. "There was nothing I could do, I was just a kid at the time. When I married Ginny, I promised myself I'd not be like him, nothing like him. And she died anyway. At his hands."  
  
Hermione reached out her hand. Draco covered it with one of his in silence. They sat that way for a few minutes.  
  
He cleared his throat. "So."  
  
She looked at him, one eyebrow cocked inquiringly. "So.?"  
  
"So, have you married, Hermione? I don't see a wedding ring." His thumb gently rubbed over her ring finger.  
  
She withdrew her hand. "No, I haven't."  
  
"Why not? Still pining for Potter?"  
  
She snorted. "After ten years? Please."  
  
"So why not, then? I'd have said you'd have had men, both wizards and Muggles lining up to date you."  
  
She stared at him. "Malfoy, a compliment? From you? Will wonders never cease?"  
  
It was his turn to snort. "Hey, Granger, even at my worst, I thought you were good-looking. Hell." he looked embarrassed. "I thought you were beautiful."  
  
"You could have fooled me." She snarled "All those years of calling me 'Mudblood'."  
  
"Yes, well, I did apologise, if you will recall."  
  
"Yes, you did, to be fair. I remember it was at your and Ginny's engagement party."  
  
"And I did apologise to Potter and Weasley, too, if you remember."  
  
"Yes, Ron still talks about it. You were rather hard on him and Harry, y'know."  
  
"Weasley? Do you still see him? How come you're not married to that git? Couldn't stand the thought of your kids having that flaming red hair?"  
  
"Good God no.it wasn't that. He asked me to marry him, but I said 'no'."  
  
"Why not? Would've been logical for you, wouldn't it?"  
  
"That was just it. I almost did, but I realised I didn't love him, not the way I loved Harry, or the way I loved." here she stopped.  
  
" Who?" Draco wanted to know.  
  
"Never you mind, Malfoy. Anyway, it was no loss, not really. Ron married Lavendar Brown, you remember her."  
  
"Ah, yes, the ditzy blonde Gryffindor. Always on about her makeup or something."  
  
"Well, she's improved considerably since our Hogwarts days. They have three children now, two boys, twins, and a girl. What about you? Are you married?"  
  
"No.not."  
  
"Why ever not?"  
  
" Well, I mourned for Ginny for quite some time. And then, it just didn't seem worth it." His voice trailed off sadly.  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
"You do, don't you?" He looked at her with those grey eyes that seemed to see things no one else did.  
  
"Hermione.":  
  
Hermione looked at her watch. "Oh shit, look at the time. I have to go." She began to gather up her things and stuff them into the rucksack.  
  
"Hold on, I'll pay for the drinks, and walk you out." He didn't give her a chance to protest.  
  
Draco went over to the bar to pay Tom for their drinks. She looked at him and had to admit to herself that he was still quite a good-looking man, in a rougher sort of way. He'd never looked unhealthy, really, but he had been almost unnaturally pale. Now that slight tan made his scar almost noticeable and his blonde hair was white, now. His body, she noticed, was still muscular, even more so now that previously, probably because he'd been working in the outdoors and not just at Quidditch as a seeker.  
  
He was back at their table, and stood there, his eyebrow quirking up. "Still like what you see, Granger?" he smirked.  
  
She flushed, a rosy hue. "You've caught me, " she admitted. "No harm in looking, is there?"  
  
Draco smirked again. "No, as long as you realise it's a two-way street, Granger."  
  
She had to laugh. It was such a typical Malfoy remark. "Come on, let's go." 


	2. Chapter 02

CHAPTER 02  
  
They went from the warm pub out into the cold pavement. "Well - " Hermione began. "It was nice, seeing you -"  
  
"No, Hermione, not that," Draco interrupted. "I'm not saying good-bye to you as if we were polite strangers."  
  
"What, then? Hello?" she retorted.  
  
"No, more like, let's go somewhere else and talk for a bit more."  
  
"Malfoy, give me one good reason why I should go anywhere with you."  
  
"Because, Granger, we've got things to clear up and I've got things to say."  
  
"Why can't you say them right here, out on the pavement?"  
  
"Because, dammit, it's cold, I'm freezing, and so are you."  
  
She sighed, defeated. "Oh, all right. Where, then?"  
  
"Let's go to my hotel. Come on, I'll drive." He put his hand under her elbow as they started to walk away from the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"You drive, Malfoy?" She asked incredulously.  
  
"Well, sure, why not? When you own a cattle station out in the Outback, you need utes to manage the cattle. Somehow broomsticks just don't do with all the Muggle cattle station hands about."  
  
"What's a 'ute?'" Suddenly realisation dawned on her. "Hold on.you.you own a.cattle station? You, Malfoy?"  
  
"Yes, I do," he said impatiently. "It was the quickest way I could build up my stash after leaving England. My father's estate was still tied up, and I needed to make a living. So I hired on as a ringer. Oh, and an 'ute' is a lorry, used for utility work on a station."  
  
She could only gape at him. This was so, so unexpected. Malfoy, a cattle ringer?  
  
He was still talking. "And then when I got my money from my father's estate, the part that wasn't tied up in maintaining Malfoy Manor, I used it to buy out the owner of the cattle station. He hadn't any family, you see, and so there was no one to take it on after he died. So I bought him out, giving him a nice swag to retire on."  
  
"And, you made money on er, beef?"  
  
"Oh yes, I did. Beef is very good. The price of Aussie beef has gone up on the world market and so my profits have been more than adequate. Especially since the Japanese are our biggest beef importers." They had reached his car, a late-model low-lying sports car Hermione didn't recognise. He dug out his remote key ring and unlocked the door by pressing a tiny button. Then he froze.  
  
"Bugger it."  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Hold on. Something's wrong."  
  
Then she sensed it, her Auror training belatedly kicking in as the prickling started in the back of her neck. She reached inside the sleeve of her Muggle leather jacket for her wand. But Malfoy stayed her hand by placing his hand on her arm.  
  
"No." he hissed.  
  
"Why not?" she hissed back.  
  
"Too many of them."  
  
She looked away from his eyes and saw them. It was a gang of at least six very big menacing figures, all in black Muggle clothing and all looking very dangerous. Uh oh..  
  
Draco looked at the one who seemed to be the leader in the eye. "What do you want, mate?"  
  
"Yer money. and th' girl."  
  
"Well." Draco drawled. "If it's money you're wanting, that you can have. But the Sheila. Well, that's a different story."  
  
"'Old on, Aussie. We ain't givin' yer a choice."  
  
"You aren't? Well, then I'm not giving you one, either, mate."  
  
"Wot?"  
  
Draco stared intently into the man's eyes. "You understand me."  
  
The man's eyes started to fade. In fact, as Hermione glanced at the other men, they all looked, well, not quite there. "Draco."  
  
"Shhh."  
  
"Draco, what in hell are you doing?"  
  
"Shhh, Granger. Not now!"  
  
She shut up. Apparently it was not a good time to question him on his magical methods.  
  
Draco continued to stare at the ringleader, muttering something she couldn't understand under his breath. It sounded like an incantation, but nothing like she had ever heard before. The six hulking shapes slowly turned and skulked off into the cold darkness of the night.  
  
He relaxed with a huge sigh. She did the same.  
  
"All right, what was that, Malfoy? Something your father taught you in the Dark Arts?"  
  
She wasn't sure in the dim light, but she could've sworn his face took on a ruddier hue.  
  
"No, Granger."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"All right but get in the car first. I'm freezing after that." It was true, he was shivering, she could tell. They clambered into the car, and sat, waiting for the engine to warm up and the heat to kick in, which it did, very shortly. He then drove off towards Central London, having not said a word.  
  
"Well?" She was impatient.  
  
"God, Granger, don't you let up?"  
  
"No, and I won't, until you tell me what that was, Malfoy."  
  
"Well.er.I told you I started out as a ringer, right?"  
  
"As incredible as it seems, yes, you did."  
  
"Well one day I was wandering about out in the Outback on my broom, exploring the place. I had my kit with me and so was cooking some grub in a can next to a billabong - don't ask, Granger - I fell asleep. I woke up to find some strange men about my campsite. They were Aborigines. Naturally, I was scared at first -  
  
When did Malfoy start admitting he was scared?  
  
"..And so I got out of there as soon as I could fly out. Must have looked rather funny to them." He chuckled at the memory. "But something drew me back there, and with the help of one of the native ringers at the cattle station, I learned their language. Did you know they've got one of the oldest cultures in the world? And Granger."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
His voice lowered to a reverential pitch. "They've got some of the oldest and most powerful wandless magic in the world, even more powerful and elemental than the most powerful Dark Arts my father taught me. The thing is."he paused. "The thing is, you can't use it for evil purposes. If you try, it'll rebound on you a hundred-fold."  
  
"How do you know that? Did you try to use it that way?"  
  
"God, no. I saw a wizard - one of my few Magical ringers - try to use it to kill someone, and it boomeranged on him. He was dead before he knew what hit him." Draco shuddered at the memory. "They believe that any magic you use must be for the good of nature, and to kill someone with magic goes against all the good of nature. So."  
  
"So any time someone tries to use Aboriginal magic for evil purposes gets back all the evil plus more?"  
  
"Exactly. Nice to know you've still got it."  
  
"Of course I do. Else, I'd be doing something else beside being an Auror."  
  
He looked at her sharply. "Tell me the truth, Granger. How long have you been an Auror now?"  
  
"Fifteen years. You know that. Malfoy. You joined the training with us right after Hogwarts."  
  
"Yeah, I know. It really was a rhetorical question. Tell me something else now. Aren't you tired of it?"  
  
"No, I'm not.!" He gave her a disbelieving look at her vehemence.  
  
"Methinks thou does protest too much."  
  
She sighed. "Well, you know me so well, Malfoy. Yeah, I guess I am. But what else can I do? I'm a bit old to go back to university."  
  
By this time they were at the front entrance at the hotel. Draco pulled the keys out of the ignition, saying, "We'll talk about that some more when we get upstairs, Granger." He got out of the car and handed the keys to the attendant, then walked over to the passenger side and pulled open the door before Hermione could untangle herself from the seat belt and do it herself. He smirked at her frustrated expression.  
  
"Aw, come on, Granger. Let me be the male chauvinist pig for once, eh? At least my mum taught me good manners."  
  
"Well, I'll grant you that, Malfoy," she smirked back at him. "Just for that, you can hold the door for me, too."  
  
"For you, darling, anything." Was it her imagination, or was the smirk gone? No, there it was, back again. That serious expression must have been her imagination. Just pure imagination.  
  
He grabbed her hand just before reaching the door, keeping his hold on it even as he stopped at the front desk to check for messages. She quietly tried to tug it loose, but he gripped it all the harder, refusing to let her go. When she stopped tugging away, his hold gentled again. And kept it, even as they walked into the lift and rode it all the way up to the penthouse suite. By the time they got off the lift, she was breathless.  
  
They stopped at his door as he took out the key card and inserted it into the slot. She started to go in, but he stopped her with a gentle tug on her hand.  
  
"Not just yet, Granger."  
  
"Why not, Malfoy?" Her wide eyes were on him as he bent his head to her.  
  
His lips were on her, and she suddenly felt alive for the first time in many years. His lips were warm and seeking, his tongue licking at her full bottom lip. As she opened her mouth just the tiniest bit, that warm tongue took advantage, slipping in and exploring the inside of her mouth. It felt good, no.better than good, it felt like she was home, warm and safe. Her arms crept up around his neck and she hung there, rendered senseless by the kiss.  
  
When she broke apart, gasping for breath, she couldn't speak. Draco smiled down at her, not his smirk, but a real smile.  
  
"Damn, Granger, I think I've found a way to shut you up." "Oh God, I can't believe we just did that."  
  
Now he did smirk. "Want me to do it again, do you?"  
  
She blushed, not a mean effort for a 30-something woman. "Now, Malfoy." She noticed they were in his suite now; she didn't know how they got in without her noticing. She plopped ungracefully on the richly upholstered sofa. He sat down next to her, very close.  
  
"Don't you think you could call me 'Draco?' I rather like the way it sounds when you say it."  
  
She blushed again. "Only if you call me 'Hermione.' Although the way you say 'Granger' at times doesn't sound too bad, either." She got another thorough kiss for her pains.  
  
He reluctantly pulled away from her. "Hermione, we need to talk."  
  
"Hmm..." she was finding hard to keep her hands off his body.  
  
"Hermione." he gulped. "Please. Hold on. I need to talk to you about something."  
  
"Okay." She sighed. "If we must -"  
  
"Yes, we must stop. Although, I wouldn't mind taking up where we leave off, later." He smiled roguishly.  
  
She heaved a put-upon sigh; then sobered. "All right, Draco, I'm listening."  
  
"Remember when I told you why I was back in England?"  
  
"Yes, you said you came back here on Quidditch business and to settle your mum's estate."  
  
"Yes, well, those weren't the real reasons, Hermione."  
  
"What then, Draco?"  
  
"I came for you."  
  
She wasn't sure she'd heard him right. "You what?"  
  
"Came for you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because we belong together," he said calmly. His grey eyes were serene.  
  
"Malfoy, you can't be serious!"  
  
"Oh, but I am, Hermione."  
  
"But what makes you think I'd go with you?"  
  
:"Because you love me and I love you."  
  
"But, but." she sputtered. "What makes you think I'd love you, of all people?"  
  
"Why haven't you married yet, all these years, Granger?" he countered.  
  
"Well, because I haven't found anyone yet that I'd want to marry, Malfoy."  
  
"In ten years?"  
  
"I'm picky! So sue me!"  
  
"Er, you don't fancy women, do you?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Didn't think so," he smirked.  
  
"I've gone out with a few men, I just haven't found one I've liked very well."  
  
"No, you just have been waiting for me, you just don't know it yet."  
  
She was speechless. He had to be playing a trick on her. He seemed to read her mind all too easily.  
  
"No, Hermoine." I'm not playing a trick on you. I'm no longer the boy who delighted in tormenting you in the halls of Hogwarts, haven't been for many years now. I've loved you as long as I can remember, I just couldn't do anything about it until now."  
  
"But - you married Ginny!"  
  
"But - " he mimicked her gently. "After you became engaged to Potter. I figured since you'd made your choice, I had better go on with my life. And so I made my choice to marry Ginny. And I did love her, after a fashion. She knew, of course, that I loved you, yet she still married me. I think we did it to console each other. She loved Potter and I loved you. Also, there was the matter of my father. If I'd followed my inclination and married you - had you chosen me - I'm sure Lucius would have tortured you as well as killed you. I honestly thought Ginny was safe from him, being a pureblooded witch."  
  
"But - I'd no idea."  
  
"Of course not, Hermione. As I said, we'd all made our choices at the time. Although I'm sure if Harry and Ginny had lived, our lives would be very different now."  
  
"But, why now? Why tell me this now?"  
  
He looked at her calmly and resolutely. "Because I've got a chance at happiness and so do you, Hermione. I'm willing to risk rejection at a chance of having you in my life."  
  
"Here or in Australia?"  
  
"Oh in Australia. Although if you insist; we can have a home here in England, too. But Australia's where my home is, now. We could come back to see your family during Christmas holidays if you'd like."  
  
"And what do you expect me to do there, out in the Outback?"  
  
"Be my wife, of course, help me to run my businesses. And there's a whole world down there for you to study. The Aborigines' magic would be enough to keep your mind busy for the rest of your life. And you could study at the magical university by the wizarding wireless and get a degree in studying Magical Artifacts. You'd be a natural at it, with your Auror background. Or you could be an Auror out there in the Outback. They can always use more. Or." he paused.  
  
"Or...? You've obviously been thinking about this."  
  
"Or you could be mother to our children, something Ginny wasn't able to live long enough to do."  
  
With a pang, Hermione remembered that Ginny had been pregnant with Draco's child when she was killed by Lucius. Malfoy had lost more than a wife when Ginny died; he had also lost his child.  
  
"Oh I don't know, Draco," she sighed. "I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a mother. I'm not very domestic, I'm afraid."  
  
"Hermione," he put his arms around her and held her tightly. "You'd be a wonderful mother to our children. Between our brains and our looks, how can they turn out bad? Look at me."  
  
"Draco." she started to say."  
  
"No Hermione, please don't give me a final answer right this minute. Listen: Go home and sleep on it, will you? My flight leaves from Heathrow tomorrow at 4:00 pm, which means I'll need to be at the front of the terminal by 2:00 pm to clear customs and security. If I don't see or hear from you by then, I'll know you'll have decided not to come with me."  
  
"I know already what my answer will be - " she started, but stopped when he put a finger over her mouth to stem the flow of words.  
  
"No, Granger, don't give me your answer right this minute." He leaned down and kissed her, a leisurely, mind-numbing kiss. "Now go home and think on it."  
  
She got up off the sofa in a daze, collected her purse and jacket, and stumbled to the door Just as she reached for the door handle, his quiet voice said, "Remember, Granger, we get very few second chances in life."  
  
She turned to look at him. "I understand, Malfoy. It's just that I need to go home and think; it's all a bit much to take in."  
  
His gaze softened. "Yes, I expect it, given our history. So, how are you getting home?"  
  
She was weary and it showed. "Get the doorman to call a minicab, I expect. "  
  
"No, I won't let you do that. Those off-license cabs can be dangerous. Look, I'll take you home. No." he overrode her protests. "No problem, especially as we'll Apparate to your place." 


	3. Chapter 03

Well, this is it, the last chapter. Thanks to my betas Shadia Ali and Alicia Malfoy for their suggestions and feedback for the last two chapters. Your help was much appreciated. And thanks to the reviewers who all liked it so much!  
  
Hermione's Evening CHAPTER 03  
  
She was so tired and numb. It was quite late, and she really didn't want to call a taxicab so she gave in with no further protest, and suddenly with a "pop!" they were in the small living room of her flat. She fumbled for the light, but he said, "Lumos" and the magical light came on before she got to the wall switch. She turned it on, anyway.  
  
He looked about the sparsely furnished flat. There wasn't much furniture, nor were there any paintings. However there were several bookcases that were all overflowing with books, and lots of photos, some of them moving. He recognised one of the trio at Hogwarts, in which they were all grinning and waving at the magical camera. There was even one from his and Ginny's wedding, in which he and Ginny were snogging for the photographer.  
  
"No place like home, eh?"  
  
She defensively muttered, "I've not had the time or inclination to decorate the place. My mum's been after me for years to spruce it up, but it hardly seems worthwhile."  
  
Draco smirked. "Looks like you, if I may say so, Granger. Nothing but books. And photos of you, Potter, and Weasley. Where am I?"  
  
"There's one of you and Ginny, d'you see it?"  
  
"Oh, yes, I see it now. Is that the only one you've got of me? I'll have to do something about that."  
  
She was a bit defensive. "Well, I spend most of my time out and so I use the flat mostly for sleeping and changing my clothes. Why am I telling you this, anyway? It's none of your bloody business."  
  
"I just want to know a bit more about how you're living now, Granger. Is that wrong?"  
  
"Yes.no.Oh, I don't know!"  
  
"Look, I'll leave now and let you go get some sleep, all right? Now, be sure and let me know your decision." He kissed her, a brief, hard kiss and then suddenly Apparated, leaving her alone and confused.  
  
She was so fatigued, she didn't even wash her face, but simply pulled off her clothes and pulled on the old t-shirt she'd slept in since Hogwarts days. She had expected to take a long time to fall asleep but she nodded off straightaway and began to dream.  
  
She was by the lake at Hogwarts, its waters rippling up to the shore. It seemed to be dusk, as the setting sun reflected on the clouds in the sky in pink and orange colours. A lone figure sat by the shore, a few feet from her. She looked more closely; it was Harry. He turned his head to see her. He was not the Harry who died in battle; he was the Harry she remembered so well from her school days, still young and happy.  
  
"Hullo. 'Mione."  
  
"Harry." her voice was choked. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Helping you, 'Mione. I've come to give you a message. You need to go on with your life."  
  
"You know about Malfoy?"  
  
"Oh, yes, I do. He talks to me, you know."  
  
"He does?" She was incredulous. "Why?"  
  
"Who else would understand him? Not many of us went through what we all did. But now he has you and he'll not be lonely any more. Neither will you."  
  
"But why should I believe him? I'm not even sure he really loves me."  
  
"Oh he does, believe me, he does."  
  
"Hang on.if he talks to you, that means."  
  
"Yes, he's a Seer, 'Mione. That means he knows."  
  
"You mean, he knew we'd be together, even though I've not said 'yes?'"  
  
"Right. And he knew from The Sight, that you'd not be together until the time was right, meaning now. He also knows that it would have been wrong to approach you about all this before you were ready. The Sight told him you'd be ready now."  
  
"But - he never was a Seer when we knew him. I mean."  
  
"It's a gift he got from the Aborigines, 'Mione. It came to him when he released the powers he learned from them. It didn't just happen yesterday, you know. It took several years for him to learn how to use them and how to harness them."  
  
"But why so long to tell me? I mean, it's been ten years, Harry. Ten years."  
  
"Well, for one thing, he's a Slytherin. I mean, no matter how much he's changed, he'll always be a Slytherin. That means he'll do what it takes to get what he wants, no matter how long it takes, and if it means waiting ten years, well. He wanted to give you a choice. He knew if he told you it's a done deal for him, you'd choose the opposite just to spite him or just to have a choice. It's all part of his Slytherin background. "  
  
"Very sneaky, Harry. But I guess that's what makes him the way he is. Do I dare trust him? It's so hard to make up my mind about him."  
  
"He's a changed man, Hermione, believe me. 'Mione, you need to be happy. Go on and live your life with him. Be happy. I am. Ginny's with me, as are my parents. I've got my family. You need to go and get yours. All I ask in return is that you name one of your kids after me."  
  
She squeaked. "We'll have kids? Er, how many?"  
  
Harry laughed. "Now I'm not telling you that, just that you'll have at least one boy that you can name after me. You need to hear this from Draco, if he chooses to tell you. He may not, you know."  
  
"Thanks, Harry. I've really missed you. You were my best friend, you know. Draco will never replace you."  
  
"No, he won't but he'll be your new best friend as well as your husband. Don't worry, 'Mione. We'll be together again some day, just not as we'd expected all those years ago."  
  
Hermione could feel the tears coursing down her face.  
  
"Goodbye, 'Mione. I'll talk to you again. Don't worry. Be happy for the both of us." Harry faded out and the Hogwarts Lake faded into nothingness as she went deeper into a dreamless sleep.  
  
"Brrrrinnnggggg!" The Muggle alarm clock rang in her ear. And she awoke the next morning, with the tears still on her face. She turned to look at the large dial face. It was 7:00 am. Time to get up to go to work. Then she remembered the night before, and sighed. What was she going to do? She sighed again.  
  
She got up and went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. She looked bloody awful, with red-shot eyes and circles. But there was something different about those eyes.it took a second for her to see it, but it was there. They looked alive, for the first time in years.  
  
That did it. She'd made her decision. She had to go into the office, holiday or not. When she got to the offices of the Ministry of Magic, she immeditally checked to see if the Minister of Magic was in his office. According to his secratery, Minister Black was in. She immediately went into his office. Sirius was at his desk dealing with some paperwork; he looked up as she came in.  
  
"Hermione." He looked at his desk calendar, then back up at her. "I thought you were on holiday. Anything wrong?"  
  
"Oh, no, nothing's wrong, at least I don't think so. Sirius, can I talk to you for a few minutes? It's quite important." She needed to ask some questions and she was running out of time.  
  
~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~~@~  
  
Draco paced nervously in front of the hotel. He kept looking at his watch and then looking at the street. His all-black essemble of a turtleneck jumper, woolen slacks, boots and leather jacket sufficed to provide warmth against the cold wind. His short whitish-blond hair waved about in the breeze, but he didn't care if it looked mussed, In fact, he mussed it up even more by running his fingers through it in his impatience.  
  
I Damn, it was getting late. Almost 1:00 PM. If she didn't get here soon, she'd miss the plane. If she didn't get here, his life was going to be hell. Not to mention he would have to get refunded for the unused airline ticket.  
  
"Sir?" It was the bellhop. "You asked me to remind you when it's time to leave for Heathrow."  
  
"Yes, yes, thank you." Draco muttered impatiently and waved the bellhop away.  
  
"Would you like us to hail a taxicab for you, sir?"  
  
"In a moment, please. I'm waiting for someone." Draco pressed a pound note into the man's hand.  
  
"Of course, sir. Whatever you want, sir."  
  
Draco grinned derisively to himself. Whatever he wanted, eh? He might not get what he wanted, this time. It was a good thing he'd learned patience the hard way these past ten years. The Aborigines didn't know the meaning of time, and so they had more patience than anyone he'd ever encountered. In learning their ancient magic, he'd learned their patience. It was considerably more than he'd had at Hogwarts. But then, he'd been a real prat at Hogwarts, as Hermione no doubt would spare no pain in telling him.  
  
He hoped she would choose to be with him. The Sight was very vivid in showing him their life, but he had a small amount of doubt. He wanted her to have a choice and not think she was being forced into anything. Draco wanted the start of a new life to be free of any resentment or doubts on either of their parts. He didn't have any, and he didn't want her to have any, either. If that was what it took to get what he wanted, then it was the right way to go. A very Slytherin concept. Not the way he'd operated whilst in school, but he'd learned that being Slytherin didn't mean one had to be evil in one's ambitions or how one got what he wanted. What mattered in a Slytherin was that one was ambitious. It didn't mean he had to be like his father or be a Death Eater.  
  
He'd been dreaming of Hermione ever since he left school, even while Ginny was alive, even though he'd never told her of the dreams. But it wasn't until he had told the Aboriginal headman about them that he'd learned of The Sight, and had been able to put them in perspective. The headman had helped him to see they were prophecies of what could happen because of one's destiny, not just hormones or wishful thinking. However, the headman had also told him the future could be affected by one's choices in life, and The Sight was not an absolute future. So thus Hermione could choose and The Sight would be wrong.  
  
Well, no point worrying about it now. If it all went wrong, he'd wait until he got home to think about what he was going to do next. After some whinging and getting pissed, that is.  
  
Draco glanced at his watch. Another ten minutes gone. He had best get on to the airport so he could get through security and customs before boarding the plane. He glanced down the street once more; no sign of Hermione by foot or taxicab. He didn't think she would Apparate, as there were too many Muggles about, and it was discouraged in Muggle London.  
  
Sighing, he gestured to the bellhop, who jumped up and blew a whistle to summon a taxicab. The large black sedan purred up to the kerb, and the bellhop lifted Draco's small dufflebag into the boot. Draco pressed a five- pound note into the boy's hand. He had always tipped well for good service.  
  
After over an hour in the gruelling traffic through London, the cab pulled up in front of the Quantas terminal. He stepped out from the cab after paying the driver his fare and a tip. The driver unloaded the boot and drove off to a waiting area. Draco checked in his bag and shouldered his rucksack and prepared to get his e-ticket from the kiosk.  
  
There was a squeal of tyres and a taxicab pulled up to the terminal.  
  
"Draco! Wait! Hold up!"  
  
He closed his eyes in relief. It was Hermione. She jumped out the cab, gripping a haversack and ran up to him.  
  
The dark-haired witch was standing next to him. She looked scared to death. However she spoke bravely, "I'll go with you, Draco." What a true Gryffindor, he thought, just before bending his head and capturing her lips with his.  
  
After they broke off the kiss, she apologised, "I'm sorry, I was so late in getting to you. But I had to talk to Sirius and get squared away, you see.Gave him my notice. He wasn't too happy about it being so short, but I didn't give him any choice. But I think I made him happy, in the end."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, I asked him if he knew of any job opportunities down there, and he remembered he'd got an Owl a few months ago, and dug it up. It turned out that the Australian Ministry of Magic was looking for an Auror to train theirs in the Outback. It seems since we've had more experience fighting Death Eaters up here, and so they were looking for help. So.you're looking at the newest field director for Queensland as well as the new part time Defence Against Dark Arts teacher at the local Wizarding Academy."  
  
"Wow, Granger. That's, that's fantastic."  
  
"And in a year or two, we can start our family." He had to kiss her again after that statement.  
  
After the kiss she said seriously, "I'm taking a big step here, Malfoy. If you ever, ever lay a hand on me or one of our children in anger."  
  
"Point taken and memorised." He said hurriedly. "Don't worry, I don't lose my temper, unlike my esteemed father."  
  
"Oh I know, but I thought I'd better let you know where I stand, on this."  
  
He sighed and kissed her again.  
  
"So what made you make up your mind?" Draco queried a few minutes later.  
  
"It was Harry, actually," and she told him of her dream.  
  
"Hmm, interesting," was all he had to say.  
  
She queried, "Did Ginny know you were a Seer?"  
  
He hesitated, and then answered, "No, she didn't. I didn't tell her because well, because I didn't want to tell anyone then. I'd been having these strange dreams for years, you see, and I never told anyone. When I got to Hogwarts, I realised dimly what was happening, but I didn't realise just what it all really was. I think Dumbledore knew, though." He paused again. "Also, I realised if I told anyone, my father would know and so Voldemort would find out and I'd be forced to use it for his evil purposes." His face darkened. "I was doing everything I could to keep from getting the Dark Mark. I knew that once I'd got it, it would have been almost impossible to get out alive or with my sanity intact. I was playing a double game all those years, and so was Professor Snape. We both knew how dangerous it was."  
  
"Yes, I know" Hermione responded sadly. Their old Potions professor, Snape, had been in St. Mungo's for many years, suffering the effects of too many Cruciatus curses being thrown at him by Voldemort and his Death Eaters when they had found out he was a double agent.  
  
"So many lives lost or ruined." Draco murmured. "Well, Hermione, at least we can start with a clean slate." He smirked suddenly. "I'm looking forward to it, you know. Life with you will definitely not be boring."  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
"Oh yes," he heaved a dramatic sigh. "You'll rag at me endlessly and I'll just answer back with my smart remarks."  
  
"Oh, really?" she said back at him again. There was a gleam in her eye. "Then we'll have some interesting conversations, then."  
  
"Just don't stop, will you? It's what drew me to you long ago at Hogwarts. You first attracted my attention with that brain of yours. You'll never know how hard it was to tell my father I was always second to you. Then I just noticed I really didn't want to fight it any more."  
  
She smiled gently. "Never fear, I won't. It'd be like not breathing, if I stopped. I expect I'll already be learning something."  
  
He groaned. "Don't tell me - "A History of Hogwarts." Gods, Granger, won't you ever stop reading that bloody tome?"  
  
She laughed. "Not very likely. As long as Hogwarts stands, the history will be magically updated, and there'll be something new."  
  
"At least tell me you won't need to read it on the plane."  
  
She grinned. "No, it's been reduced and is in my pocket. Actually, I transfigured it to look like a matchbook to a Muggle."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Ah, clever of you. So it won't be confiscated by a security guard or in Customs. At any rate, I'll be keeping you too busy to think about that bloody book during the flight anyway."  
  
"Oh yes?" She grinned provocatively. "Do tell.!"  
  
"Later, Granger, after we've gotten our e-tickets and got to our lounge area. Since we're flying first class, we'll be comfortable."  
  
"So, something hasn't changed, has it, Malfoy? You still insist on getting the best, don't you?"  
  
He smirked. "Well, of course, Granger! I can still afford it."  
  
She heaved a dramatic sigh. "Well, something I'll have to get used to, I suppose." and then she laughed.  
  
She then nestled into his arms, Draco resting his chin on top of her dark chestnut head. He shut his eyes and whispered, "Thank you, Potter, for giving me back my life." 


End file.
